MCCB Winter 2009 - Michigan Community College Biologists

MCCB NEWS
Winter 2009
December 2009
What’s in this Issue:
Fall’2009 MCCB
Conference Highlights,
pg.2-3
Norma Golovoy,
NABT Conference,
pg.4-6
WCC Radiology
Students and Peruvian
mummies, pg.7
Welcome new MCCB members!
The Most Studied Brain
and Atherosclerosis in
Egyptian mummies,
pg. 8
Junk Food Addicts and
Muscle-Activating
Shoes, pg. 9
Spring MCCB
Conference, pg.10
The President’s Pad,
pg.11
Cindy Bida and Michael Palaski sponsored the MCCB
Fall 2009 Conference at HFCC.
Please visit our website at: http://www.mccb1.org/
You will find information concerning conferences, job positions, general
information about our organization as well useful web resources on our
website. If any MCCB member knows about biology positions, upcoming
relevant conferences, seminars, or workshops being held in Michigan (as
well as throughout the U.S.) please email information to: Ralph Gorton,
MCCB Webmaster, gorton@tds.net and/or to Susan Dentel, Newsletter
Editor, sdentel7@me.com.
Page 1
National Biology Teachers Association (NABT) 2009 Annual Conference
By: Norma Golovoy, Biology Instructor
The NABT 2009 Annual Conference was
held during the days of November 11-14,
2009 at the Sheraton Hotel in Denver, CO.
This was my first NABT Conference, a very
memorable and influential event in my
career. I was impressed by the number of
people in attendance and by the wide
variety of workshops, seminars and lectures
available. The large number of
presentations and talks were all very helpful
for the professional development of biology
teachers at all levels of the educational
spectrum.
During the NABT Annual Conference I had
the opportunity, along with two of my
colleagues from the Biology Department at
Schoolcraft College -Stacey Gray and
Caroline McNutt- to present a workshop on
Role Playing aimed at getting students to be
actively engaged in the learning process. In this activity, students are encouraged to play a role in
a complex biological process such as Protein Synthesis, Cellular Respiration, or the Polymerization
and Hydrolysis of Biological Macromolecules. By actively playing a role students are challenged to
learn a new, complex concept by participating in it rather than passively listening to a lecture, which
can often times lead students to tune out and become bored and distracted. The title of our
presentation was “CAUTION: Students Hard at Play!” The presentation was well attended and the
participants were thrilled by the idea of Role Playing and the ways they could introduce it into their
classroom. A DVD showing students demonstrating how to perform the Role Playing activity was
showed and distributed to those in attendance. The DVD was a powerful resource that not only
enhanced the presentation but it also serves as a quick, reliable reference to the Role Playing
activity. The workshop will be presented again during the MCCB Spring Conference to be held at
Schoolcraft College on April 16 & 17, 2010. We look forward to seeing you there!
Page 4
Biology teachers nationwide also had the opportunity to visit the grand Exhibit Hall at the
NABT Conference. The Exhibit Hall was a magnificent display of tools, games, models, kits,
media, books, virtual labs, microscope slides, and many other resources designed to enhance
and improve the presentation of the material in the classroom. During my visit to the Exhibit Hall
I was exposed to state of the art equipment and demonstrations and I was also able to get free
samples of posters, DVDs, web resources and books which I can also share with my colleagues.
I also had the chance to get exposure to some of the new tools now available to facilitate the
teaching of difficult concepts such as genetics, with kits such as the Karyotyping with Magnetic
Chromosome Kit by Carolina Biological
Supply. The Pearson Publishing Company
was one of the publishing companies that
invited renowned authors for book signing.
Pearson was distributing free copies of the
new textbook by Miller and Levine entitled
Biology. The author, Ken Miller, was present
at the Pearson booth signing copies of his
new textbook to the general audience.
Many colleagues from MCCB attended the
NABT 2009 Annual Conference in Denver,
CO. Among those were Cindy Bida and
Michael Palaski from Henry Ford Community
College (HFCC), Richard Koblin from
Oakland Community College, Michael Orick
from Schoolcraft College, Dave Sheldon and
Janice Fritz, from St. Clair Community
College, and Ed Krol (retired) from HFCC.
That is a fantastic representation from
Michigan considering Denver is so far away!
One of the highlights of my trip to Denver
was a day trip to the Rocky Mountain National Park. A few colleagues from MCCB and I had the
opportunity to explore Estes Park and all its natural beauty. During our day trip we saw beautiful
groups of elk, deer and a few ravens in their natural habitat; pure ecological study at its best!
The snow capped mountains and the pristine views from almost 9,000 feet above sea level
made the whole experience enchanting and mesmerizing.
Page 5
National Biology Teachers Association (NABT) 2009 Annual Conference
By: Norma Golovoy, Biology Instructor
The NABT 2009 Annual Conference was
held during the days of November 11-14,
2009 at the Sheraton Hotel in Denver, CO.
This was my first NABT Conference, a very
memorable and influential event in my
career. I was impressed by the number of
people in attendance and by the wide
variety of workshops, seminars and lectures
available. The large number of
presentations and talks were all very helpful
for the professional development of biology
teachers at all levels of the educational
spectrum.
During the NABT Annual Conference I had
the opportunity, along with two of my
colleagues from the Biology Department at
Schoolcraft College -Stacey Gray and
Caroline McNutt- to present a workshop on
Role Playing aimed at getting students to be
actively engaged in the learning process. In this activity, students are encouraged to play a role in
a complex biological process such as Protein Synthesis, Cellular Respiration, or the Polymerization
and Hydrolysis of Biological Macromolecules. By actively playing a role students are challenged to
learn a new, complex concept by participating in it rather than passively listening to a lecture, which
can often times lead students to tune out and become bored and distracted. The title of our
presentation was “CAUTION: Students Hard at Play!” The presentation was well attended and the
participants were thrilled by the idea of Role Playing and the ways they could introduce it into their
classroom. A DVD showing students demonstrating how to perform the Role Playing activity was
showed and distributed to those in attendance. The DVD was a powerful resource that not only
enhanced the presentation but it also serves as a quick, reliable reference to the Role Playing
activity. The workshop will be presented again during the MCCB Spring Conference to be held at
Schoolcraft College on April 16 & 17, 2010. We look forward to seeing you there!
Page 4
Biology teachers nationwide also had the opportunity to visit the grand Exhibit Hall at the
NABT Conference. The Exhibit Hall was a magnificent display of tools, games, models, kits,
media, books, virtual labs, microscope slides, and many other resources designed to enhance
and improve the presentation of the material in the classroom. During my visit to the Exhibit Hall
I was exposed to state of the art equipment and demonstrations and I was also able to get free
samples of posters, DVDs, web resources and books which I can also share with my colleagues.
I also had the chance to get exposure to some of the new tools now available to facilitate the
teaching of difficult concepts such as genetics, with kits such as the Karyotyping with Magnetic
Chromosome Kit by Carolina Biological
Supply. The Pearson Publishing Company
was one of the publishing companies that
invited renowned authors for book signing.
Pearson was distributing free copies of the
new textbook by Miller and Levine entitled
Biology. The author, Ken Miller, was present
at the Pearson booth signing copies of his
new textbook to the general audience.
Many colleagues from MCCB attended the
NABT 2009 Annual Conference in Denver,
CO. Among those were Cindy Bida and
Michael Palaski from Henry Ford Community
College (HFCC), Richard Koblin from
Oakland Community College, Michael Orick
from Schoolcraft College, Dave Sheldon and
Janice Fritz, from St. Clair Community
College, and Ed Krol (retired) from HFCC.
That is a fantastic representation from
Michigan considering Denver is so far away!
One of the highlights of my trip to Denver
was a day trip to the Rocky Mountain National Park. A few colleagues from MCCB and I had the
opportunity to explore Estes Park and all its natural beauty. During our day trip we saw beautiful
groups of elk, deer and a few ravens in their natural habitat; pure ecological study at its best!
The snow capped mountains and the pristine views from almost 9,000 feet above sea level
made the whole experience enchanting and mesmerizing.
Page 5
One of the lectures that I attended while participating at the Annual 2009 NABT Conference
was entitled “Time to Abandon Darwin? Teaching Evolution in a Time of Climate Controversy” by the
renowned biology professor Ken Miller, from Brown University. Dr. Miller gave a lively lecture in
which he discussed his experiences in defending evolution and suggested ways to counter the
hostility surrounding an evolutionary view of the living world. Dr. Miller was very engaging as well
as informative.
His new book entitled Biology, which he coauthored with Dr. Levine, teaches
introductory biology with an emphasis that all living things are related.
As stated by Dr. Miller
himself the textbookʼs binding message is how evolution is a topic that can be applied to any
concept of the biological world. Another lecture that I attended was presented by Dr. Michael Dyer
from St. Jude Childrenʼs Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. Dr. Dyerʼs talk was entitled “From
Bench to Bedside: Improving Translational
Research Through Multidisciplinary Teams”. His
lecture addressed the research that his team is
currently conducting, which is aimed at bridging
the fields of developmental neurobiology,
evolutionary biology, and cancer genetics.
His
research group focuses mainly in the study of
retinoblastomas that originate during human fetal
development and manifest during early childhood.
In his seminar, Dr. Dyer presented the results
from his groupʼs two most recent projects.
The
first project investigates the role of tumor suppressor genes in the developing retina using murine
models. This research has led to the first report that mature neurons can divide while maintaining
all of their differentiated features, including neurites and synapses. This discovery fundamentally
changes one of the central dogmas in neurobiology -that differentiated neurons cannot divide once
they are formed. The research may also someday lead to new approaches to regenerating neurons
without the use of stem cells. The second project currently being conducted at the Dyer lab focuses
on generating the first knockout murine model of retinoblastomas.
The group hopes that by
studying these murine models they can further understand the path that retinoblastomas follow
during embryonic development.
Attending this conference was an excellent educational experience. I had the opportunity to
learn more about various topics related to biology. The conference also gave me the opportunity to
network with other Biology teachers nationwide. I was able to accomplish my overall goal for
attending this event, which was to use this opportunity for professional development with the aim of
improving and enhancing student learning at the Community College level.
Page 6
WCC Radiography Students dig up the past in Peru!
For the nineth year in a row, Washtenaw Community College radiography program
students have traveled to Ilo, Peru to
participate in archeological excavations
of mummies belonging to the Chiribaya
and other pre-Incan civilization which
inhabited the coast and river valleys of
southern Peru from 800 to 900 years
ago. The WCC radiography programʼs
International Studies in Radiography
class was begun by then department
chair Jerry Baker through a cooperative
venture with the University of Arkansas;
the class now travels yearly to various
parts of Peru under the joint direction of Jerry
Baker and Jim Skufis, the WCC radiography
programʼs Clinical Coordinator.
Through support and funding provided by
the WCC Foundation, the charitable arm of
Washtenaw Community College, WCC
students are not only able to take part in a
“once in a lifetime” experience but also
contribute the knowledge theyʼve gained
through their radiography training to the
work being conducted by the
Bioanthropology Foundation of Peru, the
sponsoring organization in Peru which
oversees and coordinates much of the
excavation and study of Peruʼs mummies.
Dr. Sonia Guillén, a bioarchaeologist
who received her Ph.D. from U of M,
directs the ongoing excavations and
research, and heads Centro Mallqui--The
Bioanthropology Foundation of Peruʼs
research center located northeast of Ilo in
the Osmore river valley where remains of the Chiribaya and Tiwanaku civilizations are
found. WCC students have also worked in other location in Peru such as Leymebamba
working with remains of the Chachapoyas culture, Cuzco working with Incan remains found
at Machu Picchu, and Lake Titicaca taking radiographs of 2000-year-old mummies found in
the Sillustani north of Puno.
-Jim Skufis
Page 7
The Most Studied Brain
Henry Molaison (H.M.) suffered from seizures
as a child. His condition gradually worsened over
time. At the age of 26, he had an experimental
operation which helped to control his seizures, but
left him unable to form new memories. After his
surgery in 1953, H.M. become involved in
numerous neurological studies which significantly
helped to illuminate many mysteries concerning
memory and the brain. Before work done with
H.M., it was presumed that memory was equally
dispersed throughout the brain and was not
dependent on any one area. H.M. had areas in the
medial temporal lobe removed. The discovery of
the hippocampus being a critical component
involved in the formation of new memories was
largely due to the initial work done with H.M. Work
done with H.M. has helped scientists to distinguish
between areas of the brain involved in the memory
of events/facts versus other areas in the brain needed for motor learning.
H.M. recently died and donated his brain to science. His brain is currently being dissected (into
2,500 tissue samples) and will be digitally mapped. The procedure is being shown live online:
thebrainobservatory.ucsd.edu/hm_live.php Researchers are hoping to use information gleaned
from H.M.ʼs brain to study many neurological disorders as well as to come closer to understanding
memory making in the brain.
Atherosclerosis: A modern disease?
Recently in a landmark study, a number of Egyptian mummies were put through CT scans
and revealed signs of clogged arteries. Atherosclerosis, the accumulation of fatty material along
the inner linings of blood vessels, has become coined as the modern disease of a sedentary
and over-indulgent civilization. This study is causing a re-examination of this idea, however.
Atherosclerosis may have affected people throughout time. “Atherosclerosis may be inevitable
if you live long enough. We would have thought this was a disease of modern man,” according
to Samuel Wann of Wisconsin Heart Hospital in Wauwatosa. On the other hand, the studied
mummies would have had high salt diets (as common with food preservation of the time) and
were also rich. These individuals may have much in common with modern populations because
they probably did not do much physical labor and had more access to fatty foods.
A research team examined heart disease amongst mummies from different time periods
from the Museum of Antiquities in Cairo. The idea for the study grew after Gregory Thomas
(University of California) and Irvine and Adel Allam (Al Azhar Medical School) visited the
museum and noted that a pharaoh (Merenptah, 1200B.C.) had apparently experienced
problems with atherosclerosis. They wanted to perform CT scans to see if this was actually true
and to also explore to what extent others may have suffered from it as well. CT scans were run
on 22 mummies. Of the 22 mummies, 16 had arteries and hearts that were in good enough
condition to study. 9 out of the 16 mummies, showed evidence of clogged arteries. 8 of the 9
mummies had lived past the age of 45. (Scientific Sessions: Nov. 12, 2009 and Journal of the
American Medical Association: Nov. 18th, 2009)
Page 8
Junk Food Addicts
A new study presented at the Society for
Neuroscience’s annual meeting, shows evidence that junk
food causes addictive behavior in rats very similar to rats
addicted to heroin.
Paul Johnson and Paul Kenny of Scripps Research
Institute were curious about how overeating would affect
the brain pleasure centers (the same regions involved in
drug addiction) in rats. Rats were fed either a regular
nutritious, low-calorie diet or fed unlimited amounts of
junk food. (Ho Hos, sausage, pound cake, bacon, and
cheesecake) The rats that ate the junk fed overate and
gained weight, progressively taking in more calories than the rats fed a regular diet. Electrical
stimulation was used to activate brain pleasure centers. The rats could control the amount of
“feel-good” stimulation by running on a wheel. The junk food rats ran more often on the wheel
than the control group. After only a few days, the junk-food fed rats exhibited a significant
decline in pleasure-center sensitivity. The rats ended up eating more food to get the same
amount of “feel-good” sensation. Then the researchers installed a shock device that would lightly
shock the rats each time they tried to eat the food. The control rats stopped eating while the
junk-food fed rats would continue to eat regardless of the shock. Weeks after the discontinuance
of junk food, these rats declined nutritious food and lost weight. The pleasure center sensitivity
continued to be low as well. “This is the most complete evidence to date that suggests obesity
and drug addiction have common neurobiological underpinnings,” commented Paul Johnson.
Muscle-Activating Shoes
As a rule, most athletic shoes have been designed to offer cushioning
and support. The newest trend in athletic shoe design and marketing is
the creation of muscle-activating shoes. These shoes are being touted
as capable of improving posture, increasing leg, calf and gluteal muscle
activity, easing arthritis/lower back pain, and promoting weight loss.
Various new design attributes such as curved soles and balance pods
give the shoe wearer increased muscle engagement according to
manufacturers. (Reebok: EasyTone, Skeckers: ShapeUps, FitFlop)
To support these claims, the shoemakers cite company-financed
exercise studies that appear to show that the shoes produce a higher
level of muscle engagement. In one study, there were only 5 people
involved and it was not even published in a peer-reviewed academic
journal. In the study, 5 women walked on a treadmill for 500 steps
“Old Sneakers”
either wearing a regular Reebok walking shoe, an Easytone shoe, or
walking barefoot. Their muscle activity was measured. The results showed that the Easytone
shoes worked the gluteal muscles 28% and the calf & hamstring muscles 11% more than the
regular walking shoes. Previously, Canadian researchers conducted a study of instability boards
and balls and found that individuals that exercised frequently experienced little effect from
instability boards in terms of muscle activation. Will these shoes make a difference over time?
Some question whether the high level of muscle engagement will continue once the walker
becomes used to the shoe.
Page 9
Skip
Palenik
to
Speak
at
Spring
Conference
!
We
are
in
for
a
special
treat.
Skip
Palenik
will
deliver
our
keynote
address
set
against
the
backdrop
of
SchoolcraE’s
new
Biomedical
Technology
Center.
Mr.
Palenik
is
a
forensic
microscopist;
his
work
includes
the
Green
River
Murders,
the
Jon
Benet
Ramsey
Case
and
the
reinvesJgaJon
of
the
Dr.
MarJn
Luther
King,
Jr.
AssassinaJon.
He
has
been
featured
on
A&E
and
his
lecture
promises
to
fascinate
us
with
the
important
role
microscopy
plays
in
forensic
invesJgaJon.
!
It’s
never
too
early
to
think
Spring!
The
MCCB
Spring
2010
Conference
will
be
held
April
16
and
17,
at
SchoolcraE
College
in
Livonia.
Friday
evening
starts
off
with
registraJon
and
dinner.
Our
chef
won’t
disappoint
you!
AEer
Mr.
Palenik’s
talk,
social
hour
kicks
off
with
interacJve
building
tours,
fun
and
refreshments.
Catch
the
movie
in
our
learning
theater.
Is
that
Caroline
McNuP
making
fresh
popcorn?
You’ll
appreciate
Saturday’s
complete
breakfast.
The
morning
features
NutriJonist
George
RapiJs
discussing
nutriJonal
needs
as
we
age.
Who
can’t
relate
to
that?
Gastroenterologist
Dr.
Thomas
Alexander
will
speak
about
celiac
disease.
Make
sure
to
plan
enough
Jme
to
visit
all
of
our
vendors.
AEer
lunch,
SchoolcraE’s
own
Jeremy
Hall
returns
to
inform
and
entertain.
Nick
Butkevich
and
Joel
Watkins
will
put
you
in
the
driver’s
seat
of
SchoolcraE’s
Scanning
Electron
Microscope.
In
addiJon,
Caroline
McNuP,
Stacey
Gray
and
Norma
Golovoy
will
have
you
out
of
your
seats
and
on
your
feet
as
you
role‐play
various
biological
processes.
The
complete
schedule
will
be
available
in
our
Spring
NewslePer.
MCCB
Spring
2010
Conference
Schoolcra5
College
Planning
Commi8ee
Upcoming MCCB Conferences:
Spring 2010, Schoolcraft Community College
Sponsored by Nick Butkevich and Joel Watkins
Fall 2010, Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse City, MI
Spring 2011, Grand Rapids Community College
Sponsored by Leigh Kleinert, Tim Hoving, and Holly Hoare
Page 10
The
President’s
Pad
Joel
Watkins,
MCCB
President
GreeJngs
MCCBers,
This
happens
every
fall,
the
semester
rushes
by
and
before
I
know
it
I’m
struggling
to
get
things
wrapped
up
so
I
can
head
home
for
a
liPle
rest
and
family
Jme.
Well,
the
family
thing
never
really
turns
out
quite
like
I
think
it
will!
I
can’t
complain.
Like
most
of
us
who
tackle
the
challenges
that
come
our
way,
we
find
saJsfacJon
in
overcoming
them,
we
also
find
comfort
in
what
is
familiar
and
enjoy
Jme
off
to
recharge
ourselves.
As
Michigan
faces
unprecedented
economic
difficulJes,
many
of
us
have
already
been
impacted
in
our
profession
and
beyond.
We
can
see
it
every
day
in
our
students
and
colleagues.
We
also
look
for
opportunity
and
hope,
and
as
teachers
we
have
the
privilege
of
helping
our
students
and
colleagues
achieve
their
dreams.
While
I
am
at
home
this
month,
I
am
going
to
take
some
Jme
out
from
eaJng
and
family
chaos
to
think
how
I
can
best
serve
others
and
help
my
colleagues
meet
the
challenges
that
our
profession
faces
as
Michigan
moves
forward.
In
the
everyday
hustle,
it
is
someJmes
easy
to
forget
that
is
why
I’m
here.
Please
take
a
liPle
Jme
out
for
yourself
to
re‐energize
while
you
are
away
from
school.
Remember
why
teaching
is
rewarding
to
you
and
think
about
how
you
can
impact
students.
I
wish
the
best
to
each
of
you
and
yours
as
we
close
out
this
year
and
look
ahead
to
2010.
Stay
warm
and
safe!
Sincerely,
Joel
jwatkins@schoolcraE.edu
Other Conferences and Events:
National Association of Developmental Education (NADE) Conference,
March 10-13, Columbus, OH
Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITTE)
March 29-April 2, San Diego, CA
Michigan Branch of American Society for Microbiology (MIASM) Conference,
April 9-10, Kalamazoo, MI
Human Anatomy and Physiology Society Institute (HAPS) Conference,
May 29-June 3, Denver, CO
Association for Biology Laboratory Education (ABLE),
June 22-26, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Distance Education Teaching and Learning Conference,
August 4-6, Madison, WI
Page 11
MCCB NEWSLETTER
Winter 2009
Mission of MCCB:
MCCB (Michigan Community College Biologists) serves as a state-wide forum for sharing instructional
techniques and new ideas for teaching college-level biology. The organization fosters communication,
friendship, and unity among the biologists of the twenty-nine community colleges in the State of Michigan. Two
state-wide meetings are held annually
Founded in the early 1980's, MCCB began as an offshoot of COSIP (the College Science Improvement
Program). Two COSIP groups were originally created in Michigan: a southern group of colleges (associated
with the University of Michigan/Dearborn and directed by Dr. Hertzler) and a northern group of colleges
(associated with Central Michigan University and directed by Dr. Carl Scheel). The initial meeting to form a
statewide organization of community colleges occurred at Delta College in 1981. The first slate of officers was
elected at that time, with Eldon Enger as President and Janet Dettloff as Vice-President.
•
To promote an interest in biology.
•
To improve the teaching of biology by providing opportunities to share and discuss instructional
techniques and teaching methods.
•
To provide opportunities for updates on current topics and trends in biology.
•
To facilitate the exchange of ideas and foster communication, friendship and unity among the
community college biologists in Michigan.
S. Dentel, MCCB News Editor
414 S. First St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48103